After providing Bob Wintermeier (search) with two very timely email responses for tech support last night, Sunday, March 19, 2006 about the difficulty he was experiencing in posting comments to the blog, the following is an email he sent to his friends this morning with his hypothetical conclusion:

Several non-Democrats have complained that they couldn’t post their comments on the Croton Blog.

After hours of trying to post a comment on the Croton Blog without success, attempting to follow the Blog owner’s sign-on advice and getting no response from TypeKey (the Blog’s sign on service) for a new password, I suddenly realized that whenever I went to the Blog’s home page, I only got a Croton GOP banner shown on the home page. Since I expected both a Democratic and Republican banner, I realized that the BLOG must have a FILTER to determine what to display. That led me to use another PC that hadn’t been used to access the BLOG. To my amazement, I got a Democratic banner, confirming my believe that there was a FILTER and it is probably related to the PC’s unique IP address!!!!!! Guess what……..I WAS ABLE TO SIGN ON AND POST MY COMMENTS.

Several folks have made copies in case the comments are removed and I’ll be glad to send them to anyone who requests a copy.

If you want to sign on to the Croton Blog to post your comments, try another PC that is used by a Democrat or some one who has no BLOG sign on. If you see a Republican banner, try a different PC. I think this will work. If not, let me know.

By copy of this email to the Croton Blog, I’m asking them to fix the problem even if it means taking the GOP banner off the blog. An alternate solution is to have the Blog post my email to warn others about the problem even though it is too late to be effective. We don’t need BLOG filters!!!!!”

Editor’s note: (a)The blog does no such filtering and (b) the technology for such filtering as Mr. Wintermeier alleges does not exist.

I hope this post will not be construed as critical or inflammatory and that it will be accepted with the positive intent with which it’s submitted.

As most are aware I lost my bid for re-election last year to the incumbent trustees. I was disappointed and sad but refuse to let it affect my love and commitment to this wonderful village. I will continue to speak out about issues of importance to us and will do my very best to make real contributions to the important work lying ahead of our elected officials. I urge every resident who loves this village to do the same. We now have a board that will listen with open minds to all residents and who will encourage and appreciate our input.

There are so many ways to contribute. Speaking at board meetings is only one of those ways. Become informed, research facts, investigate and read the records for yourself, don’t believe every rumor and story you hear, listen to all sides of an argument and only then make your decisions. Approach the issues with an open mind and know that no one has all the answers but that collectively we do better. The board needs our input and thoughts to make the complex decisions before them affecting us all.

And with respect, I urge Bob Wintermeier to rethink his position in his statement above “I doubt I will have need to post on your blog in the future and you can block my sign on also”. That just might be short-sighted. The Crotonblog presents a powerful tool for residents and elected officials alike to hear and be heard. It’s a strong venue for those who might not be able to attend meetings or who might feel uncomfortable speaking before a television camera. The majority of the new board are known to be heavy computer users and you can be assured they will appreciate your thoughts no matter how they’re transmitted.

I thank Crotonblog for providing this powerful forum and will be sending a renewed membership contribution to the operation so they can continue their crusade for free speech,

At first glance, I thought Wintermeir’s whining was because he was being left out of the blog-loop. But having read some many of his excrutiatingly long posts I concluded his ego was the problem. I understand he and his pals are licking their wounds from the election (woohaa!), but stop the carping already. His ridiculous statement about logging on to a PC used by a Democrat was so assinine I had to shake my head in disbelief. Please, Mr. W., go ahead and start that “GOP blog” and filter away. You and Rob Di. can create a Republican playground of misinformation, whining, and bad news. Maybe I’ll even log on to a Republican’s computer and sneak a peak.

Based on these two individual’s extremely poor track record with respect to truthful statements, I really don’t know why anyone should be expected to believe them now. From violating federal law relating to the USPS, to inaccurate and deceptive statements about opposing candidates, the Croton GOP really doesn’t have much of a moral high ground to stand on.

Hey Rob, tell me why you redirected all vistors from CrotonGOP.com to Progressforcroton.com? How forthright is that? If I had time, I would love to check into election law (which you often label yourself as being an expert) and see what type of violations such redirection may result in. I would also be curious to know whether the use of your mail permit #633 entitles you to make mailings without identifying the republican party on such mailings…..

At any rate, mark my words in March of 2007 Mr. W and Rob will be first to decry how their candidates were wronged by the Blog, etc. However, in truth, we all know that the Blog only enabled the Croton populace to see the games that were being played by their trusted elected officials.

In the interim, I would reccomend that Mr. W enrolls in an internet 101 adult education class (I believe COH offers these). With regard to Rob, I would hope he brushes up on election and related laws at school.

Rob has informed me that he told you about the problem last Saturday. You said you were with your family and hung up on him. We still have no answer and I don’t have the time to solve your problems.

You don’t seem to appreciate it anyway when I try to alert you. Clicks mean money to you so if you don’t care, I certainly don’t With election over, I doubt I will have need to post on your blog in the future and you can block my sign on also.

Rob did call me on my cell phone at 8 pm on sat nite while I was spending time with my family. A less presumptuous way to contact me is by email. You are witness to my follow up with you on a sunday night by email… Two messages!

Further, mr. difran never sent an email following up on his concerns. And during the course of our very brief conversation, mr. difran never said why he was calling. I simply told him that I was not available to him at that time.

Anyhoo, mr. difran has called and emailed me many, many times and never mentioned your problems. And by the way, he never even thanked me for posting mayor’s letter within ten minutes of his request yesterday.

So, cry foul elsewhere mr. wintermeier.

Cordially, ross weale

Footnote: Crotonblog has decided not to block Mr. Wintermeier’s TypeKey identity as he requests because he has sworn off the blog several times before and since returned… In fact, it was Mr. Wintermeier that had intended to launch an “alternate crotonblog” set for June 2005, but never did.

Mr. Wintermeier and I have known each other a long time. We’ve both lived here for many years and both have a keen interest in our beloved village. He knows me to be a registered and proud democrat and I know him to be a proud registered conservative republican. He seems like not so proud a republican these days and is touting a new tag of ProgressforCroton. In addition, his “candidates” are running on a “pretend” Independence line (but that’s a whole other strange tale for another time!) To steal a line from his recent posting on the blog - Bob’s “story is a complete fabrication”;

1) He states “Mr. Katz was contacted to gain permission to put signs on his property, which is the annual GOP practice for all signs before being placed.” If that is so, it’s even more inappropriate than simply putting them up without permission. Deliberately approaching a business with a known lawsuit pending against the incumbent majority on the board is at best questionable and at worst, clearly a conflict of interest. One wonders if the GOP also approached the owners of Skyview Haven for permission to post signs there as they too have tax reduction litigation before the village pending in the courts. Who gave that permission? Did the incumbent trustee approach the village administration for permission to post signs on telephone poles along Cleveland and Grand Streets? I would hope not. I would not be as uncomfortable if Irwin Katz had approached the GOP, but to have the GOP call Mr. Katz is clearly out of order.

2) Bob further states he “doubled his contribution this year.” He might want to remind the ProgressforCroton treasurer that it has yet to show up on their filed financial reports.

3) Ann Gallelli and the Comprehensive Plan Committee did not “single out the Katz property for a Community Center.” I suspect Bob is basing his assumption on a sketch in the DRAFT comprehensive plan. That sketch showed a POSSIBLE location for a Village Green with a gazebo and park, park benches, small retail stores and PERHAPS a Village Community Center. These were submitted as POSSIBILITIES-not recommendations. There’s a big difference. Many of us don’t want enlarged or additional auto dealerships in this small village any more than we want big box stores. We appreciate the “out of the box” thinking.

4) The truth about the Katz lawsuit is that it could have been avoided had this administration been willing to sit down and talk with Alan Weckstein, Irwin Katz’s attorney. Many of us think the Village would have made a smart investment by buying that property. I personally sent email to the Mayor and all Trustees suggesting that possibility. I received no answer. Mr. Katz would have been satisfied and the village would own the second most important piece of property in one of our major gateways.

5) Bob further doesn’t “think Leo serves Croton well when he disregards legal advice to remain quiet about this case by giving this type of ammunition to Mr. Katz’s lawyers.” Bob has very short and selective memory. He and his small band of partisans had no hesitancy in screaming and yelling when the previous administration “listened to the advice” of EXTREMELY COMPETENT counsel, Seymour Waldman and Michael Gerrard. It appears that Bob’s advice only applies when he says it should and when it furthers his personal agenda. And, oh yes, he’s “not an attorney.”

6) His disjointed reference to former Mayor Elliott’s run for Congress and his campaign’s acceptance of contributions from local real estate agents is patently ridiculous. He knows perfectly well there’s no comparison and it is “Desperate strokes for desperate folks!

And finally, Bob, it’s just not OK to jump to conclusions, selectively focus on only part of any issue, twist and turn and spin with the best Washington politician and spin master. It just doesn’t fly here in Croton no matter how big a smile you put on as you declare your doctrine. Every inaccuracy will be corrected and the things taken out of context will be expanded.

I think everyone will be glad when tomorrow’s election to decide the future fate of Croton is behind us and we can move forward again.

I concur, I have received both Democratic and Republican advertisements.

In fact, I am now getting an ad that promises for me to “meet republican singles” (SERIOUSLY, see copy below). Should I tell my wife that CrotonBlog is trying to break up our marriage?

Mr. Wintermeier, did you ever stop to think that if the Blog really wished to block your access, they wouldn’t need some complicated filter mechanism for IP addresses. It would be far easier and effective just to block anyone who logged in as “Croton Taxpayer” from posting a comment. Think Bob — Common Sense! You truely have lost any perspective that you may have once had.

But alas, as we know based on your prior exploits, it is clear that you are, shall we say, not quite knowledgeable or proficient with computers. Recall, your wild and unfounded accusations earlier this year that the Blog was being run by waste management firms because google ads were populating the ad space with ads based on the subject matter of the posts? Anyone with the least bit of computer knowledge knows that such third party ad services are quite common.

Just to clear the air, our 2 paid political advertisers are set by our ad software to show 50% Republican ads, 50% Democratic ads. When you click to a story and then click back to the main page, you should get the other ad every other click or so.

Your logic never fails to astound me. I am a dyed in the wool democrat and get both Democrat and Republican banners no matter what computer I log in on, sometimes more Republican than I care for. I too have had trouble posting to the blog, but found that a friendly inquiry of the Blog staff helped to resolve the problem.

“Try another pc that is used by a Democrat!!!” Give us a break from your conspiracy theories. I can just see it now - next week, a big exposé to the Gazette using your flawed logic supported no doubt by Mr. Rooney, Ms. Cudauqest and other local Dem. haters. This sniping has reached a new low.